Sash balance and lock



y 23, 1940- E. F. CANNON ET AL 2,209,293

SASH BALAFCE AND LOCK gwua/vvbo'm EUGENE FRED CANNON 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 29, 1940 FRANK EDWARD CROY. 4 4.

. "IIHII H lv l l l l l d hwnl d l l l l h dl l lv July 23, 0- E. F. CANNON ET AL SASH BALANCE AND LOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Eueana FRED CANNON FRANK EDWARD CROY.

I IIELICH .1

Filed Feb. 29, 1940 PatentedJuly UNITED STATES Application February 29, 1940, Serial No. 321,552

10 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in sash balances and locks, and.

more particularly to sash balances and locks in which the locking instrumentalities may be manually released, and which automatically locks the sashes against unauthorized opening irrespective of the position of the manual release.

In existing sash balances and locks, provision has been made for manually locking the sashes against unauthorized opening, but, if, through some inadvertence, the locking instrumentalities are left in unlocked position, the sashes may be opened by unauthorized persons.

Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide a window sash balance and lock which incorporates sash locking means, and instrumentalities for manually releasing the said locking means, and also means for automatically locking the sashes against continued opening movement irrespective of the position of the manual release.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide an improved sash balance and locking device in which the sashes are operably connected for simultaneous movement in opposed directions, and means for locking the sashes in any selected orpredetermined position, as well as manually operable lock releasing means, and automatically operable means for restoring the locking instrumentalities to locking position by the initial unauthorized opening movement of the sashes to thereby lock the sashes against continued opening movement.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a sash balance and locking device of generally improved construction, whereby the device will be simple, durable and inexpensive in construction, as well as convenient, practical, serviceable and eflicient in its use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that various changes in form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be made within the scope of the invention without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any advantages thereof.

For a complete disclosure of the invention, a detailed description of the improved sash balance and lock will now be given in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a conventional I window frame and sliding sashes, showing fire invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through the window casing, the

sashes being indicated in dotted lines and comfionents of the invention being indicated in full nes;

Figure 3 is a detailed transverse sectional view taken approximately on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately on theline 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a similar view depicting the locking components in a different position; and,

Figure 6 is a vertical detailed sectional view taken through the locking device on the line 6-8 of Figure 4 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings, in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts, I 0 indicates a window frame of conventional construction in which an upper sash I I is slidably supported between parting strips l2 and back stop strips l3 of the frame stiles I5.

A lower sash I6 is slidably supported between.

the parting strips l2 and front stop strips ll of the frame stiles. The foregoing'structure is of conventional arrangement and is well understood by those skilled in the art and forms no part of our invention save its association with the sash balance and lock to be hereinafter disclosed.

Each stile l8 of the upper sash II has a' rack 23 secured thereto by screws or other suitable securing devices 2|, and similar racks 22 are secured to the stiles 23 of the lower sash l6 by screws or other suitable securing devices 25.

A plate 26 is secured to a stile I5 of the window frame by screws or other suitable securing devices 21, best seen in Figures 1 and 3, and to this plate a pinion 28 is rotatably secured by a bearing screw 30. The racks 20 and 22 at one side of the window frame mesh with the pinion 28 for a reason to be hereinafter explained.

A plate 32 is secured to the opposed stile by screws or other suitable securing devices 33, which screws extend through a strip or jamb 35 of the window frame stile and have their inner terminals threaded into a housing or casing 36 which is positioned within the stile. By tightening the screws 33, both the plate 32 and the housing 36 are clamped to the jamb 35 of the stile l5 with the housing located within the stile box or frame. A bearing sleeve 3! extends outwardly from the housing 36 through the jamb 35 and through an aperture 38 formed in the'plate 32. A stub shaft much as the racks 28 of the upper sash II and.

racks 22 of the lower sash l6 mesh with the pinions 28 and 44, it is manifest that the sliding movement of one sash will impart movement of similar amplitude but in opposed directions to the other sash. A ratchet is secured to the shaft 46 within the housing 36, and this ratchet includes a plurality of teeth 46 which are engaged by a tooth 41 of a pawl 48 which is pivotally secured within the housing 36 on a stub shaft 50 which is reduced at its opposed terminals, as indicated at 56', and pivotally secured within the wall of the housing 36 and the plate 43 to thus permit swinging or oscillating movement of the pawl. The outer terminal of the pawl is pivotally secured to a link 5|, as indicated at 52, and. this link extends outwardly through an aperture 52', formed in an end wall of the casing 36, and it is provided at its outer terminal with a cylindrical manipulating head or thumb piece 53 which is slidably received within a ferrule 55 that is positioned within an aperture 56 formed in a casing component of the window stile. A lug 51 is supported by the casing 36, and the link or rod 5| passes through this lug. A collar 58 is suitably secured to the link or rod 5| within the housing 36, and a helical extension spring 60 surrounds the link or rod 5| intermediate the lug 51 and collar 56, to thereby bias the rod or link 5| for outward movement, and, consequently, blasingthe pawl 48 towards engagement with the ratchet 45. A lug or cam projection 6| extends outwardly or axially from one face of the ratchet 45, for a. purpose to be hereinafter disclosed.

A bifurcated bearing block or ear 62 is secured tothe inner end wall of the housing 36, and a detent or catch 63 is pivotally secured to the ear 62 by a pin or other suitable securing device 65. A helical tortion spring 66 is wrapped about the pin and has one terminal 61 engaging the ear 62 and its opposed terminal 63 engaging the detent or catch 63 to thereby normally constrain or bias the detent for movement about its pivot pin 65 towards the pawl 48 for a' reason to be hereinafter set forth. The detent or catch is provided with a shoulder or projection 18 which is located intermediate its terminals and disposed towards the pawl 48 and positioned to engage an edge of the pawl to hold the pawl from engagement with the ratchet, which operation will be more fully explained hereinafter.

times be moved to closed position, and the movement of these sashes towards closed position will cause the racks 28 and 22 to rotate the pinions 28 and 44, and the rotation of the pinion 44 imparts rotary movement to the ratchet 45. Inas- It will be observed that the lug or cam projection 6| and the much as the pinions 28 and 44, are interposed between the racks 28 and 22, the weight of one sash balances the other so that these sashes may be easily slid along the stiles of the window frame without the aid of weights or other balancing devices. When the sashes are being moved from open positiontowards closed position, the ratchet 45 is rotated in a direction to permit the teeth 46 to click past the tooth 41 of the pawl 48, so that the closing movement of the sashes may be continued irrespective of the position of the components of the lock.

If the sashes are in closed or partly closed positions and it is desired to open the sashes, the operator presses inwardly on the manipulating head 53 of the link 5| thereby moving the pawl 48 against the tension of the spring 68 away from the ratchet so that the ratchet may be freely turned, thus permitting the opening movement of the sashes as long as the manipulating head 53 is pressed inwardly. When the manipulating head is pressed inwardly, thereby swinging the pawl 48 away from engagement with the ratchet 45, the detent 63 then snaps inwardly with the shoulder or projection 10 of the detent 63 in engagement with an edge of the pawl 48 to thus hold the pawl away from the ratchet 45, as depicted in Figure 5. When the detent 63 engages the pawl 48 and holds it away from the ratchet 45, the sashes may be moved for a limited distance towards open position until the cam projection or lug 6| engages the detent 63. When the cam or projection 6| engages the detent 63 it moves the detent outwardly about its pivot or fulcrum so that the shoulder 16 disengages the pawl to permit it to snap back to engagement with the ratchet, thus locking the sashes against continued opening movement. By this arrangement, if the sashes are positioned in closed position and the detent 63 is inadvertently left in engagement with the pawl thus holding it away from the ratchet, the windows can only be opened a limited distance before the cam projection 6| engages the detent and moves it from engagement with the pawl so that the pawl again engages the ratchet to prevent further opening movement of the sashes. Thus it is seen, irrespective of the position of the locking components, that the sashes can only be opened a limited distance by an unauthorized person before the pawl is automatically released for engagement with the ratchet to prevent further opening movement of the sashes. Of course, when an authorized person wishes to fully open the sashes, the manipulating head 53 is held inwardly during the opening movement of the sashes to thus hold the pawl away from the ratchet thereby permitting such movement. Again, if it is desired to leave the sashes in position where they are nearly closed or partly closed, and, if the detent 63 should be inadvertently left inengagement with the pawl 48, the sashes could not be opened by an unauthorized person, because the initial opening movement of the sashes releases the pawl for reengagement with the ratchet to thus prevent further opening movement of the sashes. The degree of amplitude of the opening movement of the sashes can be regulated or determined by the number of cam projections, consequently, if a very limited opening movement is desired two or more cam projections may be provided instead of a single projection, as indicated in dotted lines in. Figure 6,

which opens the sashes, the said locking" means Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and useful is:

1. In a sash balance and lock, an upper sash and a lower sash slidable in a frame back and forth between sash open and sash closed positions, a rotatably supported pinion, a rack mov- 'able with each sash and each raek'meshing with the pinion so that the sliding movement of one sash imparts sliding movementto the other in opposite direction, means for locking the pinion against rotary movement in the direction which opens the sash, the said locking means including a member which is movable back and forth between locking and unlocking positions and normally biased towards locking position, means for detaining the said member inunlocked position, and means movable with the pinion for releasing the said detaining means to thereby permit the said member to move to locking position to lock the pinion against sash-opening movement.

2. In a sash balance and lock, an uppersash and a lower sash slidable in a frame back and forth between sash open and sash closed positions, a rotatably supported pinion, a rack movable with each sash and each rack meshing with the pinion so that the sliding movement of one sash imparts sliding movement to the other in opposite direction, means for locking the pinion against rotary movement in the direction which opens the sash, the said locking means including a member which is movable back and forth between locking and unlocking positions and normally biased towards locking position, means for detaining the said member in unlocked position, means movable with the pinion for releasing the said detaining means to thereby permit the said member to move to lockin position to lock the pinion against sash-opening movement, and a manipulating member operably connected with the said member and conveniently accessible to permit manual movement thereof to move the said member against its normal bias from looking position to unlocking position.

3. In a sash balance and lock, an upper sash and a lower sash slidable in a frame back and forth between sash open position and sash closed position, a rotatably supported pinion, a rack movable with eachsash and each rack meshing with the pinion so that the sliding movement of one sash imparts sliding movement to the other in opposite direction, means for locking the pinion-against rotary movement in the direction which opens the-sashes, the said locking means including a member which is movable back and forth between locking and unlocking positions and normally biased towards locking position, a movable detent normally biased towards the said member to engage the said member to hold it in unlocked position, and means movable with the pinion for engaging the detent to move it from engagement with the said member to permit the said member to move to locked position to thereby lock the pinion against sash-opening movement.

4. In a sash balance and lock, an upper sash and a lower sash slidable in a frame back and forth between sash open position and sash closed position, a rotatably supported pinion, a rack movable with each sash and each rack meshing with the pinion so that the sliding movement of one sash imparts sliding movement to the other in opposite direction, means for locking the pinion-against rotary movement in the direction including a member which is movable back and forth between locking and unlocking positions and normally biased towards locking position, a movable detent normally biased towards the said member to engage the said member to hold it in unlocked position, means movable with the pinion for engaging the detent to .move it from engagement with the said member to permit the said member to move to locked position to thereby lock the pinion against sash-opening movement, and a manipulating member operably connected with the said member and conveniently accessible to permit manual movement thereof so that the said member is moved against its normal bias from looking position to unlocking position to engagement with the detent which holds it in unlocked position.

5. In a sash balance and lock, an upper sash and a lower sash slidable in the frame back and forth between sash open position and sash closed position, a rotatably supported pinion, a rack movable with each sash and each rack meshin with the pinion so .that the sliding movement of one sash imparts sliding movement to the other in opposite direction, a ratchet rotatable with the pinion, a movable pawl normally biased towards engagement with the ratchet, means for detaining the pawl from engagement with the ratchet, and means movable with the pinion for releasing the said detaining means to thereby permit the pawl to engage the ratchet to lock the pinion against sash-opening movement.

6. In a sash balance and lock, an upper sash and a lower sash slidable in a frame back and forth between sash open position and sash closed position, a rotatably supported pinion, a rack movable with each sash and each rack meshing with the pinion so that the sliding movement of one sash imparts sliding movement to the other in opposite direction, a ratchet rotatable with the pinion, a pawl movable to and from engagement with the ratchet and normally biased towards the ratchet to lock it against sash-opening movement, a detent movable to and from the pawl and normally biased towards the pawl to engage the pawl and hold it from engagement with the ratchet, and means movable with the ratchet for engaging the detent to move it from engagement with the pawl to permit the pawl to engage the ratchet to lock the pinion against sash-opening movement.

7. In a sash balance and lock, an upper sash and a lower sash slidable in a frame back and forth between sash open position and sash closed position, a rotatably supported pinion, a rack movable with each sash and each rack meshing with the pinion so that the sliding movement of one sash imparts sliding movement to the other in opposite direction, a ratchet rotatable with the pinion, a pawl movable to and from engagement with the ratchet and normally biased towards the ratchet to lock it against sash-opening movement, a detent movable to and from the pawl and normally biased towards the pawl to engage the pawl and hold it from engagement with the ratchet, means movable with the ratchet for engaging the detent to move it from engagement with the pawl to permit the pawl to engage the ratchet to lock the pinion against sashopening movement, and a manipulating member operably connected with the pawl and conveniently accessible to permit manual movement thereof to move the pawl from locking engagement with the ratchet to engagement with the detent whichholds it away from the pawl in unlocked position.

8. In a sash balance and lock, an upper sash and a lower sash slidable in the frame back and forth between open and closed positions, a rotat tion, a ratchet rotatable with the pinion, a pawl l movable to and from engagement with the I I ratchet and normally biased for movement towards the ratchet to thereby engage the ratchet and hold it against such opening movement, a

movable detent normally biased for movement normally biased towards the ratchet to lock the 1 towards the pawl to engage the pawl and hold it away from the ratchet, manually operable 1 means for moving the pawl from engagement with the ratchet to engagement with the detent,

and automatic means for moving the detent from 1 engagement with the pawl to permit the pawl i to engage the ratchet to thereby lock the sashes 1 against opening movement.

9. In a sash balance and lock, an upper sash and a lower sash slidable in a frame back and 1 forth between sash open position and sash closed 1 position, a rotatably supported pinion, a rack movable with each sash and each rack meshing with the pinion so that the sliding movement of one sash imparts sliding movement to the other in opposite direction, a ratchet rotatable with the pinion, a pivotally supported pawl movable to and from engagement with the ratchet and a normally biased towards the ratchet to lock the pinion against sash-opening movement, a pivotwith the ratchet. and a lug carried by the ratchet and positioned to engage the detent to move it from engagement with the pawl to permit the with the pinion so that the sliding movement oi! one sash imparts sliding movement to the other in opposite direction, a ratchet rotatable with the pinion, a pivotally supported pawl movable to andi'rom engagement with the ratchet and pinion against sash-opening movement, a pivotaliy supported detent movable to and from the pawl and normally biased towards the pawl to engage the pawl and hold it from engagement with the ratchet, a lug carried by the ratchet and positioned to engage the detent to move it from engagement with the pawl to permit the pawl to engage the ratchet to lock the'pinion against sash-opening movement, a link operably connected with the pawl and extending outwardly beyond the said frame for convenient manipulation, means for normally biasing the link in an outward direction to thereby impart the said bias to the pawl, the inward manipulation of the link moving the pawl away from the ratchet and into engagement with the detent which holds the pawl away from the ratchet to thereby permit the rotation of the ratchet and pinion to open the sashes.

EUGENE FRED CANNON.

FRANK EDWARD CROY. 

